Snow possible as 'changeable forecast' proves challenging for Aintree team

Aintree could encounter frost, hail and even snow flurries before next week's Randox Grand National meeting with clerk of the course Sulekha Varma admitting the mixed forecast is a challenging one for her team to contend with.

Despite adding 10mm of water to the Mildmay course during the week and 6mm to the Grand National course, the ground at Aintree continues to dry, with the latest going on Saturday described as good to soft, good in places on the Mildmay course and good to soft on the National course.

The three-day meeting starts on Thursday and Varma will continue to monitor the forecast before deciding if more watering will be required. She expects to make that decision on either Sunday or Monday.

Grand National card and betting

"We just want to get as clear a picture of next week as we can before we make that final decision but we'll be making that decision tomorrow or Monday morning," said Varma on Saturday.

Sulekha Varma: overseeing her first Grand National as clerk of the courseCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"The forecast is looking cold, windy and with the chance of some snow flurries and hail showers on Monday and Tuesday. There are morning frosts, which are fairly unusual for this time of year, and rain-wise there are little dribs and drabs around in the early part of the week before the possibility of something slightly more substantial on Friday and Saturday.

"We're just keeping an eye on the back end of the week really before we make a final decision on what we are going to do. Any clerk would rather have it pouring with rain all week or dry all week and then you know where you're at. It's definitely a challenging week and a changeable forecast."

Varma, overseeing her first Grand National meeting as clerk of the course, expects there to be a going change on Sunday regardless.

She added: "In all realism I think we'll be good to soft, good in places on the National course tomorrow and good, good to soft in places on the Mildmay.

"Ideally we want to be starting the meeting on good to soft ground. We have a policy that we don't allow ourselves to run on anything faster than good to soft on the Grand National course for obvious reasons and the ideal is good to soft, slow side of good on the Mildmay, which has been a policy at Aintree for many years and we intend to continue that."

Read more on the 2021 Grand National festival:

O'Leary: Tiger Roll goes to Aintree and there will be no humble pie if he wins

Song For Someone to face top-class rivals in Aintree Hurdle next Thursday

Evan Williams turns to James Bowen for Grand National ride on Secret Reprieve

O'Neill confident about Cloth Cap's chances but his price is 'crackers'

Another Papillon? Ted Walsh-trained Any Second Now primed for Grand National bid

Jamie Codd preparing to do lowest weight in 17 years on Irish National contender

Watering begins at Aintree with further irrigation before National not ruled out

Check out the Racing Post Grand National microsite for the latest tips and odds for the big race. The best Grand National betting advice and exclusive free betting offers all in one place.